Nobody In Time
by ScoobyDoobyDee
Summary: Captain Swan's daughter has to travel back in time to save Hook from present-day imprisonment! When she goes back to Storybrooke, her presence will affect everybody, but how will it affect the future that she's trying to fix? Technically not an "AU" since they're in the same world. More like a "FU" (as in future universe!). Captain Swan (DUH!)
1. Chapter 1

"What is it?" she asked anxiously. It was small and golden with a miniature hourglass in the center.

"This, dearie, is a time turner." Rumpelstiltskin extended his arm, offering her the time turner. Just as she was about to grab it, he jerked his arm back and left her grasping for air. "Ah, Ah! You must know how to use it, first. Turn the dial to go backward or forward, but beware, changing the past will affect the future, and changing the future will… well, let's just say it isn't advisable."

"How do you get it to take me to where I want to be?" After all, she did not want to be stuck where she was going forever or end up in the wrong place.

"That depends on you. Hold onto the desired moment in your mind. Concentrate. Think about it until it fills you, and, only then, you turn the dial three times."

She nodded her understanding. "How does it work?" she asked to keep the nauseous feeling in her stomach at bay.

"Magic, and all magic comes with a price. Remember that," he said, placing the time turner in her hand along with a piece of paper, and smiled. "Don't forget our deal, dearie. I'll see you in the future." He disappeared in a puff of smoke, and she was left alone to figure it out.

This whole thing was her fault, and this was the only way to fix it. She had been angry with her father and challenged him to take their family out on an adventure. She had heard all about the ones they had _before_ she was born. Trips to Neverland, rescue missions, witches, evil minions, and so much more _before_ she was born. Things were different _before _she was born. Her father had been a "scoundrel," as he liked to put it, _before_ she was born. Her mother had been the "savior" _before_ she was born. Her brother was the beginning of the end of a curse _before _she was born.

Well, she had been really sick of hearing about it and put it to her father to prove it to her. Her father did not like the challenge one bit. He took a great deal of offense from being questioned by his daughter. She did not know why he was so testy about it, though. She took after him, after all. She had his dark hair, blue eyes, and mischievous attitude. Her mother often said that if it was not for her high cheekbones and chin, nobody would believe that she was her daughter.

Sometimes, she really disliked being in her family. Emma Swan and Captain Hook were the ultimate dream time of heroics. Even her brother was the truest believer and had his fair share of excitement. But not her, the baby of the family. No, the most exciting thing she had witnessed was watching storms roll by in the crow's nest of her father's ship.

And so, her father had decided to take them out to visit Storybrooke. She still thought that the strange town in the middle of the Enchanted Forest was the oddest looking thing she had ever seen, but things that came from other lands often did confuse her. She did not think that it was going to be anything special after already seeing it numerous times, but, boy, was she wrong.

Tears sprang from her eyes as she remembered what had happened. They were walking near Bald Mountain at dusk when a dark shadow was cast over all of them. She looked up to the top of the mountain, and what she saw flummoxed her. The top of the mountain was separating from the rest of it. A massive, black demon suddenly sprang winds and took flight in the sky straight toward them.

Fear knotted through her chest as she watched the embodiment of death come for them. Her father pushed her toward her mother and brother and yelled for them to run.

"Go! Get them out of here!" he yelled in a panic and began running toward the demon.

She looked into her mother's face and saw pure terror in it. "Hook!" she yelled to his back.

He stopped and turned his head toward her. "I love you, Emma. I love all of you. Now, GO!"

The rest was a blur as her mother grabbed her hand and pulled her away. Henry ran on the opposite side of her and grabbed her other hand. Together, they lifted her up and carried her away, leaving her father behind. She tried turning her head to see, but it was difficult. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the demon grab her father and fly back toward the mountain.

That was four years ago. Now, at the age of fifteen, she was finally old enough to do something about it. She escaped from her grandparent's palace and made her way back to Storybrooke against all her fear. The demon had continued to terrorize the town in the dark of the night, but the people had learned that it had no power during the day. Nobody had been able to stop it despite the numerous attempts.

It took a while to accept, but she finally understood that it was her journey to take. She had to defeat the demon to get her father back, and she finally had the means to do it. She was going to go back in time to the old Storybrooke.

Time was ticking, though. She could not delay any longer, or else she was sure her family would send someone to retrieve her. She closed her eyes and did what Rumpelstiltskin told her to do. She pictured Storybrooke as it was and imagined herself there sixteen years in the past. Her hand grasped the time turner, and she turned the dial three times.

She waited to feel something, any kind of indication that it had worked, but nothing happened. Unsure of what to do, she opened one eye and looked out. She had not moved an inch. Everything was exactly the same. The tears that threatened to brim over did, and all of her hope came crashing down. The time turner had not worked. Her head dropped forward into her hands, and she felt her heart breaking into pieces.

"Are you okay?" a familiar voice asked her.

She looked up suddenly and wiped her tears away. "Grumpy. Look, I had to try something," she said as a means of explanation.

He scrunched his nose in a very Grumpy-like fashion. "Do I know you?" he asked suspiciously.

Her eyes widened in amazement, and she took a closer look at Grumpy. He appeared to be younger and slightly less round along the belly. "You don't recognize me," she stated to clarify.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but I'm calling the sheriff," he threatened.

"Oh, no!" she rushed out, "I can't go to the sheriff's. I need to see R- Mr. Gold ," she told him.

"Uh, huh. Sure," he answered, but he did not seem convinced. "I'll walk you to his shop."

They made their way to Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop in silence, but Grumpy used the time to glance over at her constantly, trying to figure out if he indeed knew her. As they approached the shop, she saw a sign on the door indicating that the store was closed.

"It's closed," she said.

"I can read," Grumpy said.

"Well, when is he going to be back? This is important." She could not afford to lose any more time waiting for him to return.

Grumpy shrugged and glanced across the street. "Jiminy! Do you know where Gold went?"

Jiminy crossed the street with his dog, Pongo, and tipped his hat to her. "Good afternoon! Yes, Grumpy. He said he was leaving, and he wouldn't be back for a while."

"'A while?'" she repeated. "What does that mean? An hour? A day? A year?"

"I'm not sure, Miss," Jiminy answered.

"Great. This is just great." She inhaled a deep breath to keep from snapping and thanked them for their help.

"Wait!" Grumpy called as she began to walk away. "Who are you?"

She turned around and began walking backward away from them. "I'm nobody," she said, extending her arms out and smiling.

As she rounded the corner, she looked up into the distance at Bald Mountain. She needed to find a place to stay before the sun went down. She did not want to be spotted by any more townspeople, so she decided to hide by the pier on one of the ships in the harbor. She passed few more people on her way to the docks, but luckily it was nobody with which she was close.

She walked down the pier and almost did not notice that she was standing next to her father's ship. Her stomach dropped, and she swore she could almost see him there. The temptation was too strong for her, and before she knew it, she was boarding the ship. Her hands ran over the banister of the ship. She found the spot where she had carved her name when she was five, but the spot was bare. In this time, she did not exist. She was not even a thought. There was no memory of her and would not be after she left.

It was too much for her to handle. She could not let her thoughts cloud her mind. She was here to save her father, and she would not veer from that path.

She turned to leave and the cold, hard edge of a sword pressed against her throat.

"Where do you think you're going, lass?" her father said to her.

* * *

**A/N: Some answers to questions that I know you have:**

**1) Yes, Captain Swan's daughter has a name. I'm not using it yet (because it's part of the plot), so don't worry.**

**2) The "demon" thing is Chernabog (google it) and he's from Fantasia. He's the winged demon monster that takes all the souls and makes them dance. If you're not familiar with it, eghh not a big deal, but he's actually my favorite Disney villain.**

**3) No, I don't know how long this is going to be. Not that many chapters because I cannot start another epic story at this point.**

**4) "She" was 11 when Hook was taken. Henry was 13 when she was born, making him 24 when Hook was taken.**

**5) Yes, this IS a Captain Swan fic... I'm getting there!**


	2. Chapter 2

Killian POV

The lass looked at him as though he was a god. The tears in her eyes merely confirmed it for him, and she stood there, open-mouthed, in awe of him. Killian thought it was the oddest thing, but he let it pass for the moment. He assumed that her shock was due to his exceptional good looks, and he took the opportunity to really look at her.

She wore blood red leather breeches with knee-high leather boots. Her shirt was black, and over it she wore a black leather jacket with the same color blood red stripes running up and down the sides. Her piercing blue eyes stood out against her black hair and pale skin, but it was her chin that drew his attention. There was something about it…

The next instant, her body straightened suddenly, and she was released from her daze. Here eyes flashed rapidly to his and widened. She was nervous, and he could understand why. He would have been nervous, as well, if someone had a sword to his throat.

"I was just looking, sir. Pardon if I upset you. It was bad form," she said with more confidence than she appeared to have.

He became abruptly aware of a feeling of familiarity. He squinted his eyes at her, taking a closer look. "Do I know you?" Hook asked.

"No, you would remember this face it you had," she answered smoothly.

He titled his head to the side and nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right," he said, but he could not shake the feeling.

His response must have given her reassurance because she continued. "I've been on a ship, similar to this one, and I was curious," she said as a means of explanation. "I noticed that your foremast is the same height as your mainmast."

"Aye. That it is," he confirmed suspiciously. This lass had some knowledge about ships, and she was anxious to let him know. That only increased the unrest churning in his stomach. His instincts were telling him that something was off about her.

He watched as her gaze lifted to the mast she had just spoke of, and then, it followed the sails until she was looking at the sky. The moment was brief, but he caught the sudden terror in her eyes as she stared at the sunset and swung her head to look at the mountain behind her.

"It's almost dusk," she stated, worried, and looked back at him. "We must go," she commanded and pushed away from his sword.

Although he felt her alarm to be true, he could not risk it being a trick. He brought his sword back to her neck, this time pressing the hard steel into the vein. "Not so fast."

The look that she gave him almost made him regret the decision. In her eyes, he saw pain and betrayal, as if she could not believe what he was doing. It was enough to make him reconsider his actions but not enough to delineate. He pressed the steel harder until he saw a trickle of blood run down her neck.

"Who are you?" he asked, approaching her and tilting her chin up with his hook.

She swallowed nervously and repeated her previous sentiment. "We must go." Her attention returned to the sun. "It's coming any moment now."

"Tell me who you are," he demanded, ignoring her frightened expression.

"Hook!" a voice called out behind him.

He rolled his eyes, immediately recognizing the disapproving tone. "Swan. I'm in the middle of something, love."

"Let her go," Emma replied, disregarding his half-assed attempt at dismissing her.

He sighed and released the girl from his grasp, slowly and pointedly removing the sword from her neck.

She blinked a few times and hesitated before stepping away from him, unsure if he was actually releasing her. He arched his eyebrow at her and spread his arms, gesturing his honesty.

The girl gave him a disappointed glare and grabbed her neck, feeling her wound. At the same time, he heard Emma's boots approach where they were standing. The girl peeked around him, and he saw the same shocked expression on her face as when she first saw him. She hid her reaction just as quickly, though, with pursed lips and a determined stare. Her head turned back to the sunset and to the mountain, and she tried breaking for a run.

Emma caught her before she had even gone a foot. The two struggled, the girl more hysterical than before, claiming that they had to get to shelter before the monster came. It took a few moments, but when the sun finally set, the girl stopped struggling. Emma pushed her back a few steps, away from the ramp, and looked furious.

"What the hell was that about?" she shouted at the girl.

She looked confused and stunned that whatever she thought was going to happen, did not. "It- it- it was supposed to come. It's dusk. I don't understand," she babbled, staring at the mountain again.

"Look, kid. I don't know whatever monster you think is coming, but I can assure you, it's not." Emma said.

"But it's supposed to come out at night. From the mountain over there," she insisted and pointed toward said mountain.

Emma looked to him for support.

Killian caught his cue and continued Emma's stand. "Swan's right. No such creature exists here, lass. Are you sure you know where you are?"

"Yes," she spat impatiently. "Storybrooke. I'm supposed to be here."

He and Emma exchanged glances. "Why are you supposed to be here in Storybrooke?" Emma asked.

"Because I have to-" the girl began before realizing what she was saying and closed her mouth immediately.

"Did someone send you here?" Emma continued her line of questioning. "Does it have to do with this monster? What are you supposed to do?"

The girl shook her head. "I have to go," she announced and tried to stride away.

Emma grabbed her arm. "Oh, no you don't. First, you have to get that neck checked out, and then you're going to explain to me what's going on."

"I don't have to do anything Mo-" she paused, "Ma'am. I didn't do anything wrong, and you don't control me. Nobody does."

Killian had to give the girl credit. She had defiance in her and a sense of purpose that he was surprised to see in someone her age. Unfortunately, he was not going to let that admiration cloud his judgment. "Actually, Sherriff, she did break the law. She trespassed on my ship."

"And you stuck me with your sword," the girl countered. "I could sue you for assault and the intentional infliction of emotional distress," she replied smartly.

"Okay, enough!" Emma ordered. "Neither one of you is suing the other." She sighed. "What's your name?"

The girl crossed her arms and shook her head in a very childish fashion, not saying a word.

"She didn't answer when I asked either!" Killian chimed, glad that someone else was privy to her stubbornness.

Emma scowled at him and diverted her attention back to the girl. "It's just a name. I'm not asking for much."

"Look, as much as I'd love to tell you, I can't. So unless you're going to arrest me, I have somewhere to be," she answered.

He watched as Emma glanced over her face, trying to pick up a nervous tick or a tense jaw, anything to uncover a lie. She must not have found one because a moment later, she stepped aside to let the girl pass.

"You're just going to let her go?" he asked Emma incredulously after the girl had stepped off the boat.

Emma nodded. "Yes, I am letting her go," she smirked and turned around, "So I can follow her."

Killian followed Emma's lead as she trailed the girl. He could not see her face, but he could imagine the determined look on her face to figure out the girl's intentions. Emma was very good at that, he noticed. She saw the panic in the girl's eyes and let her go, only to follow her after. It was brilliant.

As he thought about the girl, that odd feeling of familiarity crept back into him. There was something about her that he could not put his finger on.

"Swan," he whispered to get her attention.

"Sh!"

"I have a striking notion that this girl reminds me of someone," he suggested. "Does she remind you of anyone?" When Emma didn't answer, he proceeded to talk. "There's something about her demeanor, what she says, or more of a way of being. It's as if she's-"

"You," Emma interjected.

"I what, love?"

"It's as if she's you," Emma replied and turned to look at him pointedly.

"Me?" he asked, genuinely confused. "What would give you that idea?"

"She looks like you. She dresses like you. What more proof do you need?" He watched as Emma's jaw clenched, and she turned back to observe the girl. "Are you sure you don't have a long lost daughter?" she asked quite sourly.

Her jealousy put a big smile on his face. "If I did, I fancy she _would_ take after me." He looked at Emma's shoulders tense, and his grin became wider. "However, I can say with certainty that I don't have a daughter."

Emma glanced back around at him before motioning him to keep moving. He supposed that she was finished with the conversation.

They followed the girl to the corner of the library and watched her turn to continue down the side street. They were about a hundred paces behind, so when they approached the corner and turned, they expected to see her at the end of the building.

She was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Happy Daylight Savings! BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAPPY 20 HOURS UNTIL OUAT COMES BACK OMG I'M GOING TO FREAK THE EFF OUT! Here's a little Captain Swan goddiness to get you through these remaining hours of the hiatus ;)**

* * *

Emma POV

Emma stopped mid-step. The girl was gone. There was no way she could have ran down the block by the time it took them to reach the corner of the library. She looked at Hook, who was staring, as confused as she was, down the empty street.

"Well that's a bloody inconvenience," he said, eyes fixed in the distance.

"She couldn't have gone that far. Come on," Emma said and took off running. She could hear Hook breathing behind her. As much as she preferred chasing people by herself, she liked the security of having him back there, knowing she had backup if she needed it.

That was the thing about him. He slipped into her life so subtlety that she never realized what moment she began expecting him to be there. Take this moment for example. She had let the girl go on purpose to follow her, but she never told Hook her plan. Then, she had assumed that he would come with her, which he did, but it was like she expected him to know.

Emma shook her head mentally. She needed to focus. Ever since she received a freaked-out call from Grumpy about a suspicious girl hanging around Gold's shop, she had been on high alert. The girl did not help her own case by withholding her name, and what made Emma even more apprehensive was how much the girl resembled Hook.

That hint of jealousy that had formed in the pit of her stomach before was resurrected quickly. In all honesty, she had no right to be jealous. After all, she had Henry, and Hook had never shown an ounce of envy or resentment toward Henry. Maybe the girl would not have bothered her if she did not _look_ so damn much like him. It was already distracting enough having one of Hook around. She did not need a second one.

Emma came to an abrupt stop when she reached the end of the block, but before she could make another move, Hook came crashing into her from behind. His arms encased her in a bear hug to prevent the momentum from knocking her over, and in an instant, her body tightened with anticipation.

She took a step out to steady herself and straightened out again.

"Apologies, Love. It appears as though my reflexes aren't as sharp as they once were," he said quietly in her ear.

It should not have affected her, but he had a way of speaking that made every word sound sensual. That alone would have been enough to rattle her composure, but his arms were still resting casually around her body, as if they belonged there.

"Perhaps I'm in need some practice," he continued and released her slowly from his grasp, taking care to let his fingers graze along her body before returning to his side.

She took a few more steps forward to put distance between them with the added intention of scanning the intersection.

"Yeah, you probably do," she replied, berating herself for not thinking of something wittier. "And it would probably help if you took that coat off," she added, hoping he would take the bait and not notice how much that stunt had affected her.

She heard the leather creek behind her, and she imagined him looking down the length of his body.

"You don't like my coat?" he asked hurt and possibly with a pout.

Emma glanced over her shoulder. "I didn't say that I didn't like it. I was just pointing out that it would be easier to move without it."

He was silent for a moment, and it was enough to make her wary that he was actually offended. She turned around but was only confronted with a mischievous grin.

"Is that the only reason that you wish for me to remove my coat?" he said and raised his eyebrow.

Emma rolled her eyes and walked passed him heading toward the town once more.

She had to admit, it was flattering to have him try so blatantly. She would be lying if she said that she did not like getting the attention that was reserved solely for her, and she could say with certainty that it was. Since his confession in the Echo Cave in Neverland, she understood that he was sincere with his intention even though he expressed his desire for her in such an open and forward way. But that was the interesting thing about him. He did not try to hide his feelings despite his confession but, rather, embraced it. It was refreshing.

Emma felt Hook rush to catch up with her, and he followed her to Granny's, where she was meeting David, Mary Margaret, and Henry. Her mother looked slightly put-off at seeing Hook with her, though she kept her silence, but her father greeted Hook with a handshake and an offer of beer. The men sat together at the bar while Emma, Mary Margaret, and Henry occupied a table.

"It looks like David has found a new friend," Mary Margaret said, glancing at their backs.

"Mary Margaret, please don't—" Emma began but was cut off immediately.

"I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, Emma. Hook's been invaluable through everything lately, and I know that. It just surprises me that they have anything in common," Mary Margaret confessed. "I mean, he's a _pirate_."

Emma clenched her jaw and looked down at the menu. She had been guilty of calling Hook a pirate a time or two, and each time she was greeted with the same look of disheartenment and dejection from him. It was not fair to him to boil down his personality to a single word, and one that obviously upset him. It was even less fair to continue to associate him with that word even after he had proven his worth time and time again.

She looked over at Hook and David. They were laughing about something, acting as if they had been friends for years. A feeling of envy crept up on her, and she found herself wishing that she could joke around with them too. But as much as she wanted to, her instincts always told her to shut down and bring the walls up. She never wanted to feel her heart be broken again, and if she opened up to Hook, she was opening up to that possibility. It was something that she caught herself considering more than once.

Mary Margaret said nothing more of the issue, and they ate their meals. After dinner, the group split up. David and Mary Margaret returned home in David's truck, and Emma stopped by her yellow Bug, Henry and Hook behind her.

"Well, this is where we part," Hook said regretfully and glanced toward the docks. He seemed to be calculating the distance to return to his ship.

"Do you want a ride?" Emma asked him without thinking. "I'm dropping Henry off at Regina's and then I can drop you off too," she explained, not wanting to think of any other motive she had of offering.

Hook smiled at her and nodded. "That's very kind of you to offer. You have my gratitude."

After dropping off Henry, they sat in the car in silence as Emma drove to the docks. Emma had the entire car ride to think about that girl, and her mind kept picturing Hook holding his sword up to her neck. After coming to a stop at the beginning of the pier, Emma turned the car off and turned in her seat to look at Hook. She had to ask him about it.

"Were you really going to hurt that girl?" she asked and felt abashed at seeing his expression.

"Emma," he sighed, disappointed and turned his head to look out of the window. "Do you really think so lowly of me?" he mumbled to himself more than her. "No. I was merely trying to scare her. We both saw that stubborn look in her eye, and I knew that there was no other way."

He continued looking out of the window but did not move to leave the car. He was waiting for her to say something, and Emma knew her next words were crucial to how their relationship would play out. She could choose to admonish him and hurt any chance of _them_, or she could open herself up.

"She was scared, too, of that monster she thinks is out there. I know where she was coming from." At those words, Hook turned his head back to her. His expression was so intense that she had to lower her eyes to continue. "She's alone, confused, and afraid. If I could just talk to her, find her, then maybe I can convince her that we can help her. Maybe we can do something for her."

She finally looked up again and saw that his eyes had remained on her. If anything, the look he was giving her was more penetrating than before.

"I believe you will. You will find her, and you will help her," he replied in the sincerest of ways.

His answer was simple, but it was exactly what she needed to hear. After losing the girl by the library, Emma was feeling unsure of herself. She felt like her tracking skills were slipping away, but with a few words from him, all that doubt suddenly disappeared. He always had confidence in her and an unwavering belief. She realized that no matter what she said to him, if she tried to convince him that the sky was purple or that the sea was made out of rum, he would believe her because he believed _in_ her. The realization drew her into silence.

He must have mistaken it for skepticism because he continued with his encouragement. "You can do it Emma. Don't think otherwise." He smiled at her again, faltered after a moment. "Urm- I can see that I'm overstaying my welcome," he said slowly. "My thanks, again." He paused for a moment, considering something and finally continued. "I know better then to ask for a goodnight kiss, so I'll leave you to it."

Before she knew what was happening, her hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder, keeping him in the car. Hook's lips parted in shock, and she swore that they both stopped breathing. Her eyes flickered to his lips for a second, and all it took was his tongue peaking through to moisten them.

Her lips were on his, and the only thing she could think of was how good it felt. No, not good – great. Excellent. Euphoric. It took Hook a second, but once he began, he was all in. He kissed her back like a man possessed, pushing his tongue into her mouth and instantly deepening it. Her body took over, and she lost all control of herself. Her right hand lingered on his neck while her left got lost in his chest, stroking over the hair that was exposed from where the shirt was unbuttoned.

She tried maneuvering into his lap, but the car was too damn small. Her frustrations were getting the better of her until she felt his right hand grab her thigh and try to hoist her up. It was useless, though, as it only succeeded in knocking her knee into the consol. Only, she did not notice because he broke the kiss and began nipping at her jaw, finding his way down to her neck. His tongue darted over the pulse and was replaced by his lips. They urgently explored the soft skin there, and he alternated between both gentle and unyielding kisses.

Somehow during that time, Emma managed to sit sideways with her legs wrapped around Hook, who was still in the passenger seat. His lips carefully lifted from her neck, and he smirked into another kiss on her lips. He was making his move. His left arm enclosed her in an embrace, and he lowered her back onto the driver's seat, making sure to keep their lips locked the entire time.

HOOOOOOOONK!

Emma's eyes jerked open, and her chest jolted up into Hook's and back down on the seat in fright. She tore her lips from his and wildly looked around. She finally saw that his right hand had gotten stuck in the steering wheel and his forearm was pressing against the horn.

"Bloody hell!" he yelled over the sound of the horn.

"Move your arm," Emma said straightaway.

"What?" he tried yelling over the noise.

"Move your arm!" she said louder and pushed his hand through the hole and off the horn.

The quiet was deafening, and she felt a blush creep up her recently assaulted neck and onto her cheeks.

Hook cleared his throat and moved back to his seat, helping her sit up in her own. They looked at each other, embarrassed and not knowing what to say.

Hook's hand abruptly shot out to caress the back of her neck, and he brought her back in for another kiss. This one was slow and passionate and less crazed than the first. It was more like a welcome home than anything. His lips cherished hers, deliberately taking care to capture each movement fully.

When he pulled away, he lingered close to her mouth for a moment and opened his eyes. The most content and genuine smile curved the edges of his lips, and he whispered "Goodnight, Swan" before backing away and leaving the car. She watched him walk down the pier and up the ramp to his ship before disappearing.

She sat there a few more minutes, letting it all sink in.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - NOT

When she finally recovered, Emma turned the keys and started her car. She waited a few second, willing her racing heart to slow down. Hook had done quite a number on her physically. Her whole body felt uncomfortable and was still coming down from the anticipation high. Her lips felt swollen where he had ravished her mouth, and she missed the feeling of his weight on top of her body.

She took her foot off the break and drove away from the docks before her body led her back to him. Working with him felt right. They understood each other, and he certainly had a knack for playing good-cop-bad-cop. Granted, he had scared the living daylights out of that girl, but doing it gave them a little more information about her.

Thinking about the girl again gave Emma an inclination. Grumpy had told her that the girl was hanging around Mr. Gold's shop, and Emma was curious to see if she would return. Emma took the long way back to the loft, driving by the Pawn Shop. Lo and behold, the girl was huddled into a ball, leaning back against the wall.

Emma pulled the car up to the curbstone and parked. The girl looked up and rolled her eyes when she noticed who it was, but she made no more to escape. Emma took the opportunity and sat down next to her.

"Hey," she said and tucked her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket, trying to come off as approachable.

"Hey," the girl responded but offered no more.

Emma did not bring up the fact that they had followed her or how she had found her. "You seemed pretty freaked out before. Why did you think there was a monster coming?"

Emma watched the girl shrug and remain silent. Although she did not say anything, there were secrets hidden behind her eyes.

"Why do you need to see Mr. Gold?" Emma continued her questioning.

"He has something that I need," the girl answered, surprising Emma. "The sooner I can get it, the sooner I can get back." Emma heard the desperation in her voice. There was something or someone that she needed to get back to. It was what was driving her.

"Is Mr. Gold the only one who has this thing?"

"Yes," the girl said.

"That's the only reason that you came to Storybrooke?" Emma asked.

"Yes," the girl repeated, annoyed.

"What about your father?" Emma threw the question out to gauge the girl's reaction, and she was not disappointed. If this mission that the girl was on had something to do with Hook, then maybe she could exploit that as a weakness.

The girl looked shocked and even a little guilty, but she blanked her face quickly. She did not confirm or deny the question, choosing not to say anything at all. She was a smart girl. That was exactly what Emma would have done in the same situation.

"What about your mother?" Emma asked curiously. She had not heard Hook talking about another woman other than Milah, and after spending 300 years in Neverland, she wondered how many opportunities he had to be with any women.

The girl let out a humorless laugh and looked at Emma for the first time. "My mother," she said smirking. "She's… around."

Emma nodded. "It doesn't sound like a good relationship."

The girl shook her head. "It is. Or, it used to be. She's been mad at me for a while now. We used to be close, but not anymore." Her eyes searched Emma's face, looking for something. Whether she found it or not, Emma had no idea.

"You should talk to her. I'm sure it's not as bad as you think it is," Emma said, trying to console her. It was strange, Emma thought. She was connecting with this girl that she barely knew. She did not want to lose that, so she stopped questioning and allowed the girl time to respond.

She did not have to wait long. The girl must have seen Emma as non-threatening enough to unload and the weight that she was carrying around.

"My mom blames me for my dad's…absence." The girl let her head drop back against the wall and looked up into the night sky. She breathed out a heavy sigh. "This might sound crazy, but my parents are in love. Like, not just any kind of love, but True Love."

Emma swallowed down the painful lump forming in her throat. She could not be talking about Hook. If he had another love, then surely he would be with her and not here in Storybrooke. However, it was more than possible that this girl's mother loved him more than he cared for her.

"How long has your father been gone?" Emma asked her, dreading the girl's reply.

"Four years."

Emma let out a sigh of relief. If Hook was indeed her father, then he would have recognized her immediately. Even though this girl was a teenager, her appearance could not have changed drastically in the four years that he was gone. Unless his memories had been altered, Hook was not her father.

"You're happy about that," the girl commented. "You thought that I was here for Hook? That he was my father?" she asked, insightfully.

"How did you-"

"You're an open book," she answered, smiling. "You obviously have a thing for him."

Emma was astounded. She thought that she had been hiding her attraction for Hook, but apparently, she was not. If this girl could see it in the hours that she knew her, then she had to be more careful.

"Is it that obvious?" Emma asked nervously.

The girl shook her head. "I'm just really observant. Actually, you both remind me of my parents. They had that unresolved-sexual-tension thing going on between them before they got together, too." Her smile grew bigger, as though she had an idea. "You should tell him. He's clearly head-over-heels for you. As soon as you came on the ship, it was like his whole demeanor changed. He was trying to impress you."

Emma thought about it and supposed that the girl was right. Hook was pulling out all the stops each and every time he saw her. He was inching his way into her life, and she found herself depending on him more and more. He was so in tune with her and always knew what to say, even if it was hidden behind flirtatious advances.

"Come on. Let's get you a room at Granny's. You can't stay out here all night," Emma said, deflecting. The girl raised her eyebrow, clearly noticing Emma's avoidance but letting it go. She agreed to let Emma bring her to Granny's and thanked her when she left the car.

The next day, Emma woke up early to check on the girl. She was not at Granny's, and when Emma drove by Mr. Gold's shop, she saw her sitting outside.

"Please tell me that you didn't come back here last night after I dropped you off," Emma said to her as she got out of the car.

"I woke up early, so I could be here when the shop opened," the girl mumbled. Here eyes had dark circles beneath them, and Emma was pretty sure that she was lying.

Emma sighed exasperatedly and reached back into her car, grabbing the take out she had ordered from Granny's for this exact situation. She handed the egg sandwich to the girl, who grabbed it from her and scarfed it down in a few bites.

"It doesn't look like Mr. Gold is coming into his shop today, so why don't you tag along with me? I got a call on the way here about a missing person. I was going to check it out and try to track this person down. I could use the help," Emma offered, hoping the girl's curiosity would influence her into coming.

Luckily, it did work, and the girl took the bait, following her into the car. They drove to the outskirts of town to Forest Tours, a business that offers guided tours of the neighboring woods. It was owned and operated by Mr. Clayton, who was the missing person. His crew called in the report when he did not show up to work the previous day. A worker reported that Mr. Clayton had gone on a self-guided practice tour, searching for a new way through the woods to offer the customers. Emma had heard rumors that Mr. Clayton liked to go on hunting excursions that happened to be illegal in the area.

After receiving the location of his entrance into the woods, they drove to that spot and began trekking into the woods, looking for a clue.

It took the girl three minutes of searching to bring the topic back to a certain man.

"So, why don't you get on that? I don't understand," the girl asked.

Emma feigned ignorance. "Who are you talking about?" she said and continued searching near a damaged bush, avoiding the girl's penetrating stare. It was very odd that she could read Emma easily. The only other person who had been able to do that was Hook.

"Oh, please. Don't insult me. We both know that he has a thing for you. I let you change the topic last night, but that was last night."

Emma turned around from her crouched position. "I barely know you. Why would I talk to you about my personal life?"

The girl looked taken aback and severely unnerved. There was something else behind her eyes other than a normal reaction. It took her a moment to recover, but when she did, it was with a straighter back and a wide stance.

"I get it. You're reserved. You've probably been hurt before, more than once, but he's different. He looks at you like you're the only thing in the world. If that isn't love, then I don't know what is," she ended.

For such a young age, she was extremely insightful. With a few words, the girl pinpointed Emma's entire romantic history. Emma could not argue with her on any of those points. They were all valid. What bothered Emma was that _fact_ that they were all valid. There was something strange about this girl, and Emma was going to get to the bottom of it, one way or another.

"Why do you care?" Emma responded with her own question. "You don't know me, and you said it yourself that you're here for your father. What does my relationship with Hook have to do with your all-important mission?" Emma asked suspiciously.

"It doesn't," she said, and Emma immediately heard the lie in her voice. "You're right. I'm here for my parents," she continued, but this time, Emma heard the truth. These two statements were contradictory, but Emma had no idea why. Maybe the girl's mission had something to do with them, but she did not want them to find out.

"You lied before. Hook _is_ your father," Emma said, the truth daunting her. "You look like him. That's the reason why you came here. To look for him. To find him again."

She shook her head. "He's not my father."

"Really?" Emma asked skeptically, "Because everything I've seen has told me that he is."

"Trust me. He's not my father. My father wouldn't have put a sword to my neck," she said, and Emma heard clearly the hurt in her voice.

Emma looked at her face. She could not get a read on her anymore. She had not lied when she said her father would not hurt her, but there was something more behind her words. Something felt weird when she said that he was not her father. It was almost as if she _wished_ that Hook had been her father.

The girl turned her head and looked down at her feet. She was just a teenager, but she carried the whole world on her shoulders, and Emma suddenly found herself caring for this girl. She saw a part of herself in the girl, the feeling that everyone was depending on you, on being the savior.

"He didn't mean to hurt you," Emma explained. "He just wanted to scare you a little."

"Yeah, well, it worked," the girl confessed and walked ahead.

They continued on their search but spoke no more about Hook. They actually had more in common that Emma could ever have guessed. The girl had spent time in both the Enchanted Forest as well as Storybrooke, but it was strange because Emma still could not figure out who she was. She was too old to be born when the curse was broken the first time but too young to be cast under it. While they were talking, she let it slip that she had come from the Enchanted Forest, but she would not speak of the portal she used to come to Storybrooke.

When the sun rose high in the sky, Emma led them back to the car to take a lunch break. Emma offered to make her something, and they went to the loft. The girl looked around curiously, eyes catching different things that she found interesting. Emma had just finished making them sandwiches when she heard the key turn in the lock. Henry walked through the threshold.

"Hey, mom! What are you doing home?" Henry asked her and made a beeline for the living room.

"I could say the same thing. Shouldn't you be in school?" Emma asked.

"I forgot my project here. I'll be gone in a sec," he said and stopped when he saw the girl standing, open-mouthed in front of him. "Uh, hi?" he said cautiously. "I'm Henry," he introduced himself and extended his hand.

"Henry," the girl repeated like a prayer and grabbed him in a hug.

Emma stared at them. Henry awkwardly patted her back, asking if they had met before. She pulled away, shaking her head, and looked down apologetically, lapsing into silence. Henry gave her a weird look before saying goodbye and leaving again.

"What the hell was that about?" Emma asked, confused as to why the girl showed so much familiarity around Henry.

The girl shook her head and turned around. "Let's get back to the woods," she said grabbing the sandwich and biting into it, avoiding the question and shutting down again.


End file.
